Born in War
by X-kalibuuuur
Summary: 'I am the harbinger of War, the sovereign of the Amazons'. Will he etch his name into the legends for eternity, or shall he fade into a dream, forever-forgotten?. (OC male demigod, ancient Greek world start, Derived legends) Plus RWBY (character only)!
1. Agnotos, The Beginning

**The prince of Amazon! Brother to Hippolyta, Penthesileia, and Antiope.**

**Son of badass Mars, at your service.**

**How would he interact with the Greek heroes?**

**PLEASE FAVORITE'N'FOLLOW!**

**HERE WE GO! **

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**Chapter 1 Agnotos, Slayer of giant piggies**

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Once upon a time, a baby was left in the valley of all hideous and monstrous creatures.

A valley of the arcane, of hidden secrets, of forbidden knowledge, of grueling trials.

The baby had ink-black hair with an occasional slash of white mixed between, and reddish-gold eyes filled with life. His brown skin was the color of beautiful wood, his limbs were the epitome of a healthy new-born.

Golden grass rustled where he slept, the wind whistling his favorite lullaby all day long.

Sometimes the raging thunder rumbled, and sometimes the heavy rain struck.

However, never once did those wild weathers scare him, or made him cry.

Spirits came to inspect in interest, peeking and poking at the ball of energy. They cuddled him in their arms, cooing at his cute giggles, laughing when his adorable mouth opened wide in awe.

They called him _**Agnotos**_, '_**the unknown'. **_

Agnotos, the small prince of the wilds.

Agnotos knew not when he was born, nor why was he kept alive.

What he _did _know, was that he was no normal human child.

Unknown to him, Agnotos was born into the Amazon royalty, his mother being the proud queen of Amazons.

In other words, it meant he should've been killed upon birth, for that was the Amazoness Creed.

No boy was allowed in the tribe, even if he were to be a prince.

At least, that was what the outsiders believed.

The truth, however, was a tad different.

Normal male babies were left in the wilderness to survive on their own-though almost every single one of them dies in the process.

The select few who survived were either taken into different families as an adopted child, or taken in by slave merchants.

The royalty undergoes the same trail, but with a privilege.

The baby was allowed to keep an object granted by their parents, in the Amazon's case, a present from his mother.

Agnotos's gift was an ancient medallion of Helios, the old titan of the raging sun.

His mother, being the Queen of the Amazons, had four children with the war god Ares.

With each child, she received a heavenly gift from Ares to keep their children safe.

The first three were girls, and they each received a girdle (waist-belt), a necklace, and a tiara.

The last, however, was a boy. Agnotos, the prince of Amazon.

Ares contemplated long and hard on what gift to bestow upon his son.

He was still deep in thought when the incident happened.

An incident that would forever derive fate from its path.

It happened on pure coincidence, just when he was rummaging through the treasury of Olympus.

A blazing spear of fiery light pierced through the heaps of treasures, and pointed in the direction of his newborn.

He squinted his eyes as he picked up the still radiant object, widening them in awe when he realized what he held, and what the pillar of light indicated.

A beginning to a legend.

A revive of a myth.

A chosen successor of the titan's relic.

Thus, Ares sent his newborn son one of the greatest artifacts that gods had bestowed to man in Greek history.

The medallion that burns all darkness. The symbol of Helios.

"Son of mine.", he spoke in his gravelly voice.

"I shall offer thee the ultimate relic of protection."

Let it be known that Ares had very few demigod children in history, Agnotos being his very first boy.

Let it also be known that Ares was a dedicated and protective father, so doting that he even stepped over several boundaries by gifting a titan relic to a mortal.

That being said, with his new medallion engraved into his chest, Agnotos survived the harsh wilds.

'What do you mean by engraved? How did the relic merge with his mortal flesh?', an esteemed magus might ask.

Normally, divine artifacts could only be weld by powerful mortals such as demigods, but never could they be a part of them.

The medallion Ares gave was rather unique by all standards.

Unlike how the wielder chooses the weapon, the medallion chooses its owner.

The medallion at first glance, looks like a circular piece of gold with a giant ruby carved into the pattern of the sun, perched on top.

Yet, its true potential was to grant its owner the power of the sun by creating an inner world within the owner's psychological landscape.

By doing so, it redefines its owner's flesh into its very own astral plane, a boundary field similar to what modern mages call the 'reverse side of the world'.

The reverse side of the world is a place where mysteries and miracles are as common as the air itself, pungent with the force of the unknown.

In the modern age where magic was dwindling, deities and phantasmal beasts sought fortitude in the reverse side, a side anchored beneath the frail matter of 'scientific reality'.

The medallion acted somewhat like a dimensional loophole of sorts, for it created a reverse world within the matter of reality itself.

With this overpowered relic literally in his chest, he was left in the valley of trials; the most dangerous part of the enormous valley where Amazons left their male babies to the wild.

All sorts of phantasmal beasts roamed there, but with the medallion protecting him, no harm had befallen the young demigod.

Ares even sent a silver wolf to act as his nanny by giving the newborn the milk he needed.

The child grew with nature itself.

Dryads used to give him nectar, fruits, and nuts, while the nymphs granted him freshwater and fish.

The fae who occasionally came entertained him with old songs and dances, floating orbs of colorful prana and enticing butterflies.

He was a child of the harsh wilds, a beloved of nature.

The toddler was fearless. One time, he even bit off the head of a snake while his guardian wolf was asleep.

Needless to say, the poor wolf was absolutely horrified when she found blood trailing from his mouth, with the head of a dead snake rolling lifelessly beside him.

There was also a time when the toddler somehow managed to worm himself into the den of a sabertooth lion. He also somehow managed to befriend the small cub inside, and started to play with him.

One could only imagine the shock of his guardian when an amused sabertooth showed up on her doorstep, a slumbering Agnotos in its mouth.

Years flew by as the frail newborn matured into a young boy of ten.

A boy old enough to grip a bloody sword.

The age of one who was ready for his very first challenge.

That was when Ares decided to give his son his first test, a trial of the divine.

He created a humungous boar the size of seven full-grown men, and disguised the monster as a pile of dirt.

He then threw a newly forged spear in front of the pile.

The spear was a masterpiece, for it was three spears coiled and intertwined into one.

Each half-transparent spear shone individually in its full brilliance, one in the sapphire, the other in topaz, the last in ruby.

A spear, he bribed Hephaestus into making. A spear even worthy enough for a minor god.

This cost him quite a huge bit of favor, but he shall willingly ignore that for now.

The spear tore through the air with a ghostly howl and landed with an earth splitting boom.

Huge plumes of dust filled the sky, scaring the tree dryads out of their wits.

"Do try_ not_ to disappoint me, my son.", he drawled with a cruel smile.

Ares may be a caring father, but he was also utterly ruthless when he wanted to be.

"Show your father what you are made of!"

* * *

POV Agnotos

* * *

I was spending my time with Ahri, my mother fox (she told me that she disliked being called a wolf), when the ground abruptly shook.

I was just about to assassinate a giant snake (which I failed because of the startling noise), and whipped my head towards the source of the commotion.

A cloud of smoky dust rose from the open plains in southwest, located not far from here.

"Come, let's go!", I coaxed Ahri as I hopped onto her back.

She took flight as my vision narrowed.

Ahri could warp through short distances which came into handy in a lot of situations. Spirit rush, she named it proudly.

There, right before my eyes, stood the most beautiful thing I had ever seen.

Ahri made a choking noise in her throat as she too saw the magnificent spear half-obscured in the haze.

I jumped from her back as I eagerly rushed towards the weapon, almost expecting it to disappear before my eyes.

To my relief, it didn't.

Ahri suddenly appeared by my side as she pushed me away with her nose.

"What-!"

I froze as the sickening crunch of breaking bones reached my ears.

A silver tusk, three times the size I am, punctured Ahri's belly.

Why? Who? How?

A dozen questions tumbled around in my mind as my breath hitched.

I've got to help Ahri or she'll die! I've got to-

A deafening roar blew my thoughts away.

A giant boar, more terrifying than any other beast I had ever seen before, rose from the earth.

Trails of dirt slid off its stygian hide as it shook its neck, tearing Ahri off its tusks and tossing her aside by doing so.

I saw red.

I tried to calm myself down, but I was already moving.

If I went Ahri's direction, she might get caught in the crossfire. Worse, I even may have to fight while protecting her.

I did a quick assessment of my tools as I charged in the boar's direction, shouting insults that would make Ares proud.

Several hunting knives, a string of rope, a bow, and a few arrows.

I threw my knife at its eye, just to make sure I caught its attention.

It bounced harmlessly off its hide as it gave me an angry snort.

It lowered its head-a sign of charging. Good.

The massive brute exploded with a force that would've knocked out Zeus's balls, its silver tusks directed straight at me.

I rolled to the side, hooking my rope around one of its tusks as it ran past me.

My heart was pounding in my ears as my hands shook.

With fear? Nah.

With fury? Of course!

This fucking pig dared to hurt my Ahri! My mother! This giant pile of shit dared!

I grabbed a handful of arrows as I shot them into its drooling mouth, one after another.

"Eat this!", I shouted.

The boar squealed in anger as it charged at me once more.

This time, I jumped onto its snout and stabbed with the knives clutched in my hands, one into each nostril.

The boar flung its head around in frenzy, lurching my stomach from one side to another.

I felt my inside contents burst from my mouth as I vomited right into its eye.

The boar sure didn't like that.

It slammed its head against the earth as the impact created a colossal shockwave.

That was the thing I had been waiting for.

My body was launched straight into the air, and my hand grasped the rope I had hooked earlier.

I tugged with all my strength.

A searing pain shot through my arm as tendons ripped and bones popped, but I clenched my teeth and endured.

I tugged with every ounce of my strength.

My teeth fractured under the pressure I bit.

My eardrums split.

The boar roared as it finally charged towards the opposite direction I had been tugging at.

To where? The spear, of course!

The rope groaned in protest when I looped it around the spear as the boar ran past, using its charging force to dislodge it from the unnaturally hardened ground.

I caught the spear in my hands as the rope finally snapped.

That rope was enchanted by several friendly dryads, but even that had reached its limit.

I sent a quick apology to the dryads, promising that I would avenge them.

Meanwhile, the boar must have sensed my lifesaver was gone because it made an abrupt turn.

I was flung _again _into the air due to its crazy momentum-this time, horizontally.

The boar's hatred fueled eyes met mine.

No words were needed.

The boar made its one final charge.

The ground caved in as the shockwave split the earth as Poseidon split the sea.

I was still spinning through the air, with nowhere to run.

It neared me.

"_You _did _not_ trap me-", I whispered.

"For it is _I _that trapped _you_."

The spear let forth a low howl as it whirred to life.

I knew not why I felt so certain, so powerful, but I knew what I must do.

A vortex of dazzling light appeared in my right hand as the spear promptly dissolved, creating three mainstreams of whirling colors.

Red, blue, and yellow.

Intertwining and convoluting, weaving into a splendid stream of starry white energy that banished all obstacles.

The spear of Mars, the crystallized concept of war, the combined power of humanity.

All came together at a single point aimed at the now frantic-looking beast.

A name formed in my mind as the spear _spoke_, urging me for its release.

I threw.

**"Skysplit Photon Ray _(The Gouging Spear of Mars)_!"**

The vortex of incredible power impaled the boar and gouged right through its impressive bulk like butter.

The spear of tremendous light flew on until it struck the looming mountain, far away on the horizon.

A blinding light filled the sky as the clouds vaporized from the intense heat.

The vortex moaned as it converged yet once more, concentrating beyond belief.

A colorless hole appeared.

A hole of the void.

Reality cracked and splintered as all hades broke loose.

The inferno accumulated within the mountain erupted in a shower of golden flames.

Streaks upon streaks of fire flew past the glowing horizon, soaring through the sky like shooting stars.

What willpower that kept me moving seeped out of my limbs.

I felt exhausted. So very exhausted.

A streak of light made of three colors flew towards me.

My spear?

No, a human? A god?

Either way, I'm already on the brink of collapse.

"Ahri.", I whispered as a beautiful women dressed in exotic white clothes caught me with the utmost care.

"Please. My mother. My fox."

She wore a tiara woven with the finest silk, and a crown of three stars which adorned her forehead.

Crimson eyes stared into mine, filled with unfathomable emotion.

Somewhere high up, Mars sparkled in the darkening night sky.

The last thing I saw before the nothingness engulfed me was her crimson orbs, pulsing warmly in the dark.

"...A..."

* * *

The figure hovered in the dark with the young boy cradled in her arms.

She slowly stroked his cheek, as if afraid she might break him.

"O' son of Mars, Prince of the Amazon. I welcome thee.", she whispered.

"Daughter of Sefar, White Titan of Tassili n' Ajjer, mighty destroyer of civilizations. I see that my son had woken you up from your long slumber underneath that mountain."

A pillar of light descended from the stars and took a humanoid form.

The collective will of war known as Mars, or more commonly called as Ares, materialized beside her.

His eyes scrutinized the young woman before him, as if to define some hidden secret.

"…Sefar? I'm afraid I don't understand, O' god of war."

Silence.

He stared at her.

She stared back.

Ares sighed, after sending her one final incredulous look.

"I've suspected you might have incorporated my sword as a viable data source, but never once did I truly believe that you would humanize yourself as such."

He shook his head again in disbelief.

"At least, not until I've seen with my very own eyes."

"…."

She remained her respective silence, not knowing how to answer back.

Ares noticed her confused look, barely apparent in another's eyes.

"Nah, don't care about what I just said. Just…try not to destroy everything in sight, and keep an eye out for my boy, OK?"

"Understood.", the young woman said with a nod.

"Fox needs help.", she added.

Ares shot her an arrogant smirk.

"Look again."

Her eyes widened as she saw the scenery contort, revealing a clay fox where the injured Ahri was supposed to be.

Instead, Ahri was safe and sound, curled in a ball with her snout snuggled inside her fluffy tail.

She was asleep on the spot where they had first entered the arena Ares had set up for them.

"A boundary field.", she realized.

"Correct. It would be rather heartbreaking for my boy if I hadn't set anything up, eh?"

"You set up this trial to both test him and awaken me."

She stared accusingly at Ares.

Ares shrugged.

"I shall take my leave. Say hi to my boy."

With these words, he was gone.

The girl stared at the blank space where he had currently occupied.

If someone had looked closely, they would have sworn that she looked a little disappointed.

After a few minutes, she too disappeared, carrying a giant fox and a boy in her arms.

* * *

Somewhere far away, a certain hero raised his head.

"What's up, Hercules? Something caught your attention?"

"Nothing, Jason. Nothing."

* * *

**Oh, the age difference between the MC and his sisters is quite large. About ten years or so.**

**That's why our good ol' muscle dude is already with the Argonaut. Oh, yes. He is still on his twelve labors. Though the travel of Jason is _yet to start! (A small diversion from history)_**

**REVIEW TO LET ME KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS!**

**X-kalibuuuur, over and out!**


	2. Down You Go

**AT LAST A NEW CHAPTER! Thank you guys for the reviews! **

**One reader suggested I change the way I write, by adding more paragraphs instead of separate lines. Welp, at least I tried.**

**BTW, our MC still got a LOOOOOONG way before he can fully master Helios's medallion.**

**PLS _REVIEW_, LIKE'N'FOLLOW! It means a lot!**

**HERE WE GO!**

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**Chapter 2 Pig "I CAN FLY!" Agnotos"NOPE"**

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There was once a time when humanity thrived with magic and mysteries, a civilization that came before.

There was once a place where people lived in joyous harmony, without fear of the unknown, without agony or death.

There was once an abomination, a foreigner of the stars, an alien titan who challenged the deities of the old, a mighty one who would destroy civilization to ensure the eradication of all human civilizations.

There she stood, alone.

Isolated she was, all fallen and trampled beneath the weight of her unbearable might like insignificant maggots.

All alone she stood, on top of a barren hill of corpses and steel.

Rot and decay may the destruction carry, but never once did they sully her.

Never once did she yield, bend or break.

She is the destroyer of civilizations and the usurper of humanity.

Fear the messenger of the stars, they whispered.

Fear the pale-blood moon.

Thus, the hero stood alone with the dead.

There she danced with the swords, coated in her crimson makeup.

Around and around and around.

Suddenly, she stopped.

Her head turned abruptly.

Her red eyes, glowing like ruby roses, stared through time and space.

A single god stood up to her still, with his life seeping into the abyss, he valiantly fought.

The crystallized will of defiance, courage, bloodlust, carnage, rebellion, and war.

Her lips part as a faint smile reached the corners of her mouth.

A single word was uttered, foreign yet somehow strangely familiar.

"Mars."

The scene itself erupted and rolled, briefly spiraling through the air as the sword of war, the legacy of mars was torn from his arm.

A gaping hole of darkness appeared, engulfing everything there was, and will ever be.

* * *

POV Agnotos

* * *

I woke up with a frantic jolt, my nerves still tingling from the nightmare I had seen.

It was …..strange. Bizarre, to say the very least. The image shifted like long-lost memories, floating from one perspective to another. The fragments of raw emotions lurked just beneath the frail fabric of memories, only to lunge at my mind when I least expected.

Shakingly, I released my breath, gasping as my body relished in the cool morning air. I raised my arm to brush off the irritating sheen of sweat, only to realize that I couldn't.

My hands groped something Warm, soft, and very pleasant to the touch.

My breath hitched in my throat as the thing beside me stirred. A pair of arms pulled me closer.

Brown skin. White tribal tattoos. Crimson eyes. Lean body. Hot features.

Mm, NOICE. Agnotos likey!

I blinked. She blinked back.

I stared. She stared back.

I must be dreaming. No way a girl is in my bed, be it a dryad, fae or nymph. Ahri literally bites off their asses.

The young woman caressed my cheek. It was warm. I squeaked.

"EEP!"

I pushed her off me by grabbing her shoulders and side-rolled to gain more distance.

"WHAT. IN. ZEUS'S. BALLS."

A scene in my dream flashed past the back of my mind; a white Titaness, black irises, vibrant tribal tattoos-

My chain of thought broke when I took in her expression. Her fair eyebrows drooped ever so slightly, her eyelash quivering for a milli-second, mouth set in a tight line.

Does she look…sad? Was it because I pushed her away? Seems like it, if the way her fingers stretched longingly towards the empty space was any indication. I sighed.

"Hey, um, sorry to push you away. Can you tell me why I am-"

Another memory slammed into my mind with the force of a freight train of Apollo's bulls.

The demonic boar, the raging battle, and the stench of splattered blood. The blood of my mother fox.

"AHRI!? WHERE IS SHE-"

I abruptly cut off once more as my eyes found a very familiar mound of silvery fur, glowing in the shadows.

"AHRI! Oh shit, is she injured, what happened to her, OH GODS!"

A hand latched onto my shoulder as the young women rose. Her half-transparent veil of silver flowed with the light breeze as she spoke in a soothing tone.

"Fear not. No harm has befallen her. I made sure when I had brought you both here."

"Then why isn't she waking up!?"

"Her body is set in a deep sleep. Fret not, for she shall wake up soon enough."

I calmed down when I discovered that she was right, for there was nothing wrong in Ahri's flow of mana, neither with the prana she unconsciously summons to her will.

With the immediate danger gone, I turned around, taking in my surroundings for the first time.

A humongous cave, overflown with rare vegetation- most of which I had no idea of. Glowing moss covered the looming slabs of cave walls, letting forth sparkling specks of embers that lit the semi-dark cave in a majestic flurry of microscopic stars.

I was standing near the edge of an underground lake, clear and transparent as water could possibly be. The circular hole from the cave ceiling allowed a thick pillar of sunlight to shine down upon the lake, making it glitter with the sparkle of a thousand diamonds. A refreshing breeze circulated within the cave, keeping the environment fresh and crisp.

"WOW."

I drank in the beautiful view, my eyes firmly glued to the magnificent scenery, oblivious to what the young woman was doing. That was, until she stepped into my line of view.

And what a view that was!

There she stood, alit in the morning light, with her glorious white hair ruffling in the wind and her gorgeous light-brown body in its full splendor for all the world to see. She craned her head as she popped some limbs, orbs of flaming red trailing into mine.

"Care to join me?", she spoke in a soft, velvet voice.

"Urgh.", was my manly reply.

* * *

~A FEW EMBARRASSING DECADES LATER~

* * *

The awkwardness disappeared the second I realized that she had indeed meant nothing sexual. So here I am in my birthday suit, bathing with a smoldering hot woman in her prime. …DOWN! BAD BOY! DOWN, I SAY!

"My name is Agnotos, son of none, pack of Ahri.", I offered with my eyes averted to god knows where.

"I know, O heir of war."

My eyebrows twitched at the title she gave me. Heir of war? What in Hades is she talking about?

"Um, so, who are you?"

The young woman stared at me, her features unmoving and stoic.

"Altera."

I waited. She said nothing. I felt my eye twitch uncontrollably. I decided to ask again just in case.

"Altera who?"

"Altera."

"…."

I think it's time to change tactics.

"Sooooo…, where is this place?"

"The spine of the old titan.", she replied nonchalantly.

My ears perked. A titan? Hmm…., intriguing.

"May I ask who?"

Altera answered my question with the enthusiasm of a beheaded minotaur (sorry, Asterios).

**_"Her."_**

"Who?"

"The white titan."

"There aren't any white Titaness as far as I know."

Altera paused; her movements froze for several seconds before she resumed bathing once more.

"There are none. Among the Greek gods, that is."

"…Excuse me? Then, some other foreign god?"

"…Yes."

I felt my brows furrow. I wanted to ask more, but I refrained from pushing too deep. No need to stick my ass into a lion's den, right?

"Ok, thanks."

We continued to bathe in silence, enjoying the crystal-clear water and its relaxing coolness. On the shore, Ahri shifted. Her mouth opened wide into a huge yawn, jaws snapping in satisfaction.

"Rise and shine, sleepyhead!"

Ahri scratched her ears with her hindlegs as she strained her back. Her ears twitched as her eyes focused on me…and Altera. Both naked, check. Not far away, check. Wet, check.

Ah shit.

Ahri growled, her low rumble like distant thunder. That means she is very, VERY pissed off. I need to act quickly.

"AHRI!", I shouted in exaggerated joy. "I WAS SO WORRIED ABOUT YOU! THANKS THE GODS THAT ALTERA HERE CAME TO OUR RESCUE!"

Ahri stopped growling. Her nose wavered through the air, as if trying to sniff out some deceit.

I waited.

Ahri snorted, and her posture became more relaxed. Phew, that was close. Last time she got pissed off by a nymph, she literally tore down an entire section of the forest.

"My name is Altera. Ahri, correct?"

Ahri grunted in confirmation. Altera curtly nodded. They eyed each other in a curious manner, as if to size out each other's ability. After a few moments, they nodded simultaneously with a flicker of acknowledgment in their eyes that spoke 'that girl ain't causing no trouble'.

It could have been a lot worse.

I clapped my hands together to catch their attention.

"Anybody ready for lunch?"

Bonding comes with dishes, as the old folks used to say. Nothing could possibly go wrong, right? Time for me to go hunting!

* * *

A FEW HOURS LATER

* * *

I know a little about jinxes, but I never truly believed in them until this very moment.

**_"REEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEET!"_**

"WHAT IN THE ACTUAL FUCKIN' ATLAS DID I DO TO DESERVE A FUCKIN' PIG WITH WINGS GODDAMNIT!"

Yep, you heard me right. As if I didn't have enough business with stupid pigs with an overdose of Zeus's juices or whatever powerful being at hand.

The ground shook as dust rocketed into the sky, momentarily blocking out the warm glow of the evening sun. That damn pig flies faster than Zeus's eagle and hits harder than Apollo's bulls. Believe me, she packs a nasty punch that can easily eradicate any lesser spirit.

The hunt started fairly well at first, me shooting arrows of fire (don't ask me how I can do it, because I found out this morning. I suspect this ornament thingy stuck inside my chest though), and Ahri chasing the prey. Altera stayed behind, saying something about 'incomplete data conversion' and 'insufficient system programming'.

I think she just meant napping.

Anyway, we two were a well-oiled hunting machine until we met…**_that_**.

It came from the sky with the force of a thunderbolt, blasting through the clouds and plunging through the rocky ground like sand.

Imagine my shock when the dust cleared; a pink pig the size of _fourteen_ men, with _snow-white wings _nonetheless, standing amongst the rubble like a big boss. Boy, I almost shit myself. I mean, hey, I had a life-and-death experience with a giant black hairy boar just _yesterday, _and now you're telling me to go on a joyride of explosions with a pig _twice the size_ of that stupid boar!?

GIVE ME A BREAK!

So…now, here I am, getting chased by a _very_ hormonal pig in heating. WITH WINGS.

**_"REEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEET!"_**

"Ahri! Any advice on how to butcher humungous pigs in hot pursuit!?"

Ahri barked back furiously, yipping when her tail caught a tendril of electricity.

Seriously, who thought it would be a _brilliant_ idea to grant a pig with wings that _shoots thunder_!? I'm pretty sure natural selection does NOT swing that way.

Another bolt of white-hot lightning ripped my thoughts apart as I frantically rolled away. My ears were still ringing from the explosion while my eyes saw white and black. My head also spun in circles, making it very difficult to keep running.

THIS. MUST. END. NOW.

I squinted my eyes as I focused hard, timing myself, preparing. The pig sensed me slowing down, and decided to take her chances.

She swooped in for the final kill, her entire body sizzling with tendrils of white-hot lightning. Why isn't she electrocuted is beyond me. She might have thought she could catch me with the impact, or simply roast me from the inside-out if I were to attempt anything funny.

However, that was exactly the chance I was waiting for.

You see, after my brief encounter with the divine spear, I seemed to have forged a connection with it. In other words, I know it's location, and I can summon it if I were to come close enough. Above this, I can choose _how_ to summon it.

In this particular case, I summoned _from beneath. _

The spear erupted through the ground, meeting the pig point blanc.

The unstoppable pig thrust herself right through as the spear itself gouged onwards on its free will, relishing the tasty blood of an exceedingly powerful beast. She might as well have a death wish.

"Now, that's, what I call, serving yourself on a silver platter is, bitch!", I gasped between painful breaths.

The pig twitched for a few times, her beady golden eyes latched onto mine. I felt a tingle go down my spine, a slight tremor, a feeling of cold dread coiling in the pits of my stomach.

I jumped.

The instinctual action saved my life.

The pig squealed with the last bits of power she could muster, charging at incomprehensible speeds. She was nothing more than a streak of blinding light as she passed beneath me, rearing her snout at the last second.

The tip barely grazed me, but it was more than enough to do harm.

I spasmed violently, my limbs flailed, thrashing around like a drowning man.

I fell back to the ground in a heap of smoking flesh, half-dead.

Ahri rushed in to help, but she was knocked aside like a rag doll, crashing through several trees before finally grinding to a stop.

**HOW DARE YOU, FILTHY PIG.**

_**HOW DARE YOU!**_

I couldn't remember clearly what followed afterward, though I could still taste the burning fury inside my chest, the lingering embers that coursed through my veins.

Fire, flames, and inferno.

I smashed in the skull of the damn pig with an incredible force I never knew I had.

My fingers ripped into its iron-hard flesh like butter, ablaze with crimson flames, burning and tearing, wrecking every single organ I dug into.

I recall screaming in blind hatred, kicking the gigantic carcass up into the air, only to smash it into the ground once more.

I stared at my hands, still slightly glowing, with smoke hissing out from my palms.

Ahri pattered over with a concerned whine. She licked my hand, sniffing for any kind of internal injuries, which I had plenty.

Broken ribs, check. Punctured lungs, check. Fractured skull, check. Scorched skin, check. Still handsome, check and double-check.

Basically, I'm Hade's wet dream on legs. 'I hope he grants me a free pass', I thought as my consciousness slipped into the void.

* * *

**FAR ABOVE THE SKY**

* * *

A pair of inhuman eyes watched the epic fight between the young prince and the beast worthy of legends.

Molten gold they were, ablaze with divine light.

A pair of silvery iron wings opened wide, revealing her whole body clad in golden armor, a fiery ring of light bound onto her head.

She was well-muscled yet slim in an athletic way, her face the epitome of charismatic beauty. She was the kind of goddess that even the most arrogant gods would nod their heads in greeting.

She was also the type of goddess who _adored_ heroes who battled against incredible odds, not to mention if they had won or not.

Nikos, master of chariots, the proud goddess of victory, later known as Victoria in the Roman legends. She was _the_ concept which later materialized into Valkyries of the Northern legends, the angels of battle.

There she was in her full glory, eyes wide open in fascination, a hungry grin dancing across her lips.

"So he is the boy whom you take so much pride in, is he not?", Nikos said in an absolute tone, never once taking her eyes off the boy's exhausted face.

"There is no need to answer questions one already has answers to.", a bemused voice replied.

Nikos snorted, the corner of her lips tugging upwards.

"What is his name?"

"Agnotos."

Nikos smiled in satisfaction.

Ares turned to leave, more than happy to leave the goddess to her musing.

"Ares."

The god of war perked his eyebrows, curious about what the fellow goddess was going to say.

"You might as well name yourself Athena.", she said in a teasing tone.

"…What?"

"You set up this whole show up, just to make your son catch my attention. Quite a schemer you are for a god of war. You put Athena to shame."

"…You enjoyed this, did you not?"

"Am I more obvious?"

Ares shook his head with a sly grin.

"See you around. No plucking my boy's cherry, mind you."

Nikos threw back her head in a hearty laugh.

"Does not count if he comes to pluck _mine_, correct?"

Ares rolled his eyes, dissipating into a pillar of light.

Nikos hovered for a long, long while, gazing into the distance, pondering.

A dazzling smile flashed over her lips as she snapped her fingers, a mischievous look dancing in her golden orbs.

With a brilliant flash of gold, a flutter of silver feathers, she too, was gone.

* * *

MEANWHILE

* * *

Altera opened her eyes.

"I sense bad civilization.", she muttered.

She considered finding the source, but decided against it.

"Sleep first. Thot later."

With those words, she went back to her peaceful slumber.

All was well.

For now.

* * *

**Phew. What do you think might happen to our boy? **

**Oh, props to guys who know where I got the piggy idea from. (Hint: Theseus)**

_**Pls feel free to review or PM!**_

**X-calibuuuur, over and out!**


	3. Revelations and a new Friend

**Hi there! This chapter is more of an introduction. PLUS A NEW OC!**

**THANKS FOR THE REVIEWS! PLS LOVE'N'FOLLOW!**

**PS. To Fate fans who don't know anything about Altera or Sefar:**

**Seriously, fate wiki is just a step away! Just go google Sefar or Altera and you'll know who the White Titan is! ****Hope this chapter will give you a general idea of the white titan. **

**The MC is not going to get full info, YET.**

**＋α wiki:**

**In Type-Moon lore, Mars is not exactly Ares. Mars is the embodiment of battle, the crystallized will of rebellion and defiance. Ares is just the greek variation which stemmed from Mars; one of the gods who bore a striking resemblance to the original god of war.**  
**Soooo, teardrop photon ray is more like the original deity of war raging against it conqueror, rather than Ares being a sore loser.**

**HERE WE GO!**

* * *

**Chapter3 A Step to the West**

* * *

"A travel to the west?"

It all started with this strange suggestion.

"Yes, I sense a …_aura_ in the west", Altera said in her usual flat tone.

Agnotos craned his head in confusion. Beside him, Ahri let forth a giant yawn.

Three years had passed since the trial of the giant boar with the winged pig, and Agnotos was now a young man of thirteen. His thick curtain of long black hair reached his shoulders, while his body showed prominent signs of maturing into adulthood. His muscles had started to grow as baby fat melted away, granting him a masculine visage of an incredibly handsome young man.

Since his two life-and-death experiences, Agnotos had changed. He was calmer and more collected, always observant of his surroundings. He was also more protective of his family and his close ones he considered a friend.

They had lived in Altera's cave in those few years, occasionally sparring against the strange woman he grew to love as his family. Altera never once faltered, striking without mercy and accidentally crushing his bones whenever they spared.

Ahri was of course against it at first, but gradually caved in after Agnotos insisted that he needed more power to protect her.

After his gruesome 'training' (aka torture) with Altera, he would wander into the wilds to meet up with his friend, Pyrrha of Mycenae.

He closed his eyes in reminisces as he briefly recalled that nostalgic moment.

* * *

AGNOTOS, THREE YEARS AGO

* * *

They had first met when he was wandering alone in the forest, trying to get more accustomed to its geography. He was enjoying his personal time-he still had constant vigilance mind you, but he was rather relaxed until he heard some strange sounds.

Curious, he decided to investigate; scurrying up a giant tree for some 'high-altitude observation'. There he was, perched upon the tip of a thin branch, squinting with an eagle's eye, until he saw faint metallic sparks in the distance.

Amongst the forest terrain, there was an open ground filled with sand and rocks. In that opening, there stood a young girl of similar age, practicing her spear art against a giant slab of rock. Though the spear itself was made of hardened wood with a blunt spearhead, it was anything but unlethal.

The spear danced and jumped, fluttered and dived, whirled and spun, ripped and waved, gouged and skewered. An enticing dance of death, sophisticated to the point he didn't know it was humanly possible.

Sparks danced around her like a herd of butterflies, her sweat splattering into the sand. Her blood-red hair that was tied into a ponytail billowed gallantly, while her piercing emerald-green eyes shone in the heat of battle.

Finally, she stopped. Her lean athletic body heaved from exertion; porcelain cheeks flushed in a healthy pink color. She lifted her head. Her green eyes found his red.

Agnotos instantly knew that she somehow recognized him, the truth all but too obvious from the small sparkle of pleasant excitement present in the depth of her eyes.

There was a long yet short moment, each staring at one another.

Agnotos held up a sign; two fingers intertwined to create a cross.

The sign of warriors, the sign of acknowledgment.

The girl signed back; three fingers joined in the middle to create a spearhead.

The sign of adventurers, the sign of a challenge.

Agnotos felt a grin split across his face. His blood boiled. A low hiss escaped from the corners of his mouth, so heated it was, wisps of steam came with it.

He jumped from the tree, and was gone.

It didn't take long for him to dash across the forest terrain, nimble on his feet as he was, he soon reached the clearing he had been looking for.

Agnotos licked his lips, hesitating for once on how to greet her, but dismissed the thought as fast as it came.

There is no need for long titles between warriors.

"Greetings."

The fateful meeting started with those exact words.

The girl looked up with an expectant glance, a smile tugging her lavish lips.

"Greetings.", she returned. "What brings you to the forbidden forest?"

Agnotos arched an eyebrow, an amused smirk adorning his face.

"You have a name for this god-forsaken place?!", he asked with exaggerated surprise.

"It is the very reason it is 'forbidden' if one can tell this place is 'godforsaken'.", she answered with a roll of her eyes.

"My bad.", Agnotos answered with a sheepish smile.

"You still haven't answered my question.", she reminded.

"Well…from what the dryads, nymphs, and fae told me, I was left in the Valley of Trials as an infant.", Agnotos answered with a shrug.

When he saw her eyes widen in horror, he quickly added.

"I wasn't left for dead. I am an Amazon."

She nodded, motioning with her eyes for him to continue.

"I knew not what God kept me alive, but this medallion-", he gestured towards the faintly glowing relic engraved into his flesh, "-seemed to chase away random beasts. The stronger ones were taken down by my mother."

The girl scrunched up her face in an adorable frown.

"But I thought you were all alone?"

Agnotos laughed, scratching his head.

"Ah, no, not my biological mother. The wolf, or rather, the giant silver fox who fed me with her milk."

"WHAT!?", the girl screeched in utter disbelief.

Agnotos jolted at her sudden outburst, so surprised he was, he nearly stumbled over his own feet.

The girl, oblivious to his discomfort, started to mutter to herself.

"A divine wolf? No, Artemis would have no reason to…, besides, the valley is beyond her territory…**_Ares_**!? Yes! It must be! So, he actually**_ IS _**the one I have been looking for!"

Agnotos looked at the girl with a spooked expression as she suddenly started chuckling. He seriously considered just leaving her there and then, but decided to at least hear her out.

"Um, hey, done with your…thinking?"

The girl jumped, whirling around as if she had just found out her own behavior to be very queer, an embarrassed flush on her face.

"Oh, yes, apologies my friend. I was…please do continue with your story."

Agnotos complied.

"Well, after I grew up, I had a trial…likely from a god. There was this divine spear, half-transparent with three intertwined into one, colors of red, blue and yellow-"

"I KNEW IT!...Sorry! Um, oh, sorry….ah, haha."

Agnotos decided to spare her, and ignore her strange behavior for now.

"-…Where was I? Yes, the spear. It turned out to be a prize of some sorts, since there was this **_gigantic black hairy goddamn boar _**who was **_very _**eager to **_mince_** me.", Agnotos growled, venom dripping in his voice.

"I barely managed to slay it, and fell unconscious. There was this _friend _that managed to swoop in, save me and my mother wolf."

"She now lives with us as one of my family. I suspect she's a demigod, or maybe even some god in disguise."

Agnotos stopped, allowing himself a glance at the girl's eager face. Her eyes sparkled, waiting for more.

"I myself might be a demigod, though I'm not sure. Ah, I nearly forgot." Agnotos smacked his forehead at his own stupidity.

"My name is Agnotos."

The girl bobbed her head, her face now a bright red.

"Oh gods! I forgot! My name is Pyrrha, chosen of Nikos!", Pyrrha declared proudly, puffing her chest with a wide grin.

Agnotos's eyes widened in awe.

"Nikos!? As in the goddess of promised victory!?"

"YES!"

"You are her chosen! That means you're blessed! A demigod by god's work!"

"YES! Well, something like that, hahahaha…."

"Was it because of her blessing you somehow recognized me earlier?"

Pyrrha froze, her movements rigid as stone.

"W-w-w-w-w-what, a-are, y-you, t-t-talking, a-a-a-about?"

Agnotos narrowed his eyes.

"I _know_ you recognized me in some aspect before we have even met."

Pyrrha fiddled with her thumbs nervously.

"Well, you see…. Nikos arrived in my dreams to tell me that a…_demigod _would be waiting for me in this forest. She told me that he would come to me at his own free will. She, she said that, that, that we…"

Agnotos raised an eyebrow.

"We?"

Pyrrha inhaled deeply.

"SHE SAID THAT WE COULD BE FRIENDS SO **PLEASE BE MY FRIEND**!"

Agnotos blinked, unfazed.

"Sure.", he said.

"You must think I'm strange or-…what, REALLY!?"

Agnotos blinked again.

"I said I'll be your friend. Why not?"

Pyrrha gasped, moist gathering in her eyes.

"Really? You're not joking? You'll be my friend?"

Agnotos nodded, warmth in his own eyes.

"B-b-but we've just met!"

Agnotos barked out a laugh, shaking his head.

"I know you meant no harm."

"How?", she asked in a small, quivering, voice.

"You're lonely.", he answered with solid conviction.

Pyrrha stared into Agnotos's eyes for the very first time, understanding dawned upon her face.

"I've never had a friend of my age too.", he said with a small smile.

"Are _you _willing to **_mine_**, Pyrrha?", Agnotos asked softly.

"Yes!", Pyrrha squeaked. "Yes, I mean not _that_ yes, not that I'm against it, but I think we should wait beforemarriageandotherstuffso-"

Agnotos left Pyrrha to her babbling, already getting used to her antics.

'A friend.', he mused with a tingle of joy.

'My very first friend."

Ahri and Altera, the dryads, nymphs, and fae were more like elder siblings or parental figures, so never once did he truly experience talking with a friend.

'It is fun.'

Unbeknownst to himself, a small smile was apparent on his usually stoic face.

* * *

ANOTHER DAY, ONE YEAR AGO

* * *

Pyrrha waited in their usual place, the sandy opening where they sometimes sparred or just had fun.

'What shall we do today?', Pyrrha thought, kicking her legs from the edge of the giant rock. She secretly named this rock (that actually turned out to be a humungous iron ore with ridiculous density, no wonder her spear couldn't pierce it), the rock of Agnotos _and_ Pyrrha.

One needn't be a genius to tell what fantasies were going on in her head, as if her silly smile wasn't obvious enough.

She visibly perked up when she felt a familiar presence near her. Her first friend.

Her one true friend who knew her biggest secret.

Pyrrha had trusted Agnotos with her secret after they grew close. That was, not before she made him swear on the river Styx that he shall not reveal her secret without her consent.

Pyrrha was born as the demigod daughter of the old Titan Atlas, and she had been in a prison of sorts for her entire life, like her elder sister, Calypso. She had only been recently released because of her service in NOT aiding the titans, and her eternal pledge of loyalty to Nikos, goddess of victory.

She had strongly desired to keep her backstory a secret from his family, in fear that they would not like him associating with the likes of her.

Agnotos had reassured her that his family was not one to judge or discriminate, time and time again until she caved in, deciding to place her trust in his hands.

Indeed, Agnotos was right about his family.

Contrary to her deepest fears, they treated her as one of their own. Ahri's reaction was to lick the girl's hand in pity. Altera understood how she suffered from loneliness, and how cruel it was to be trapped in time, unable to age.

Pyrrha had cried for several nights, her heart at last in peace.

Agnotos felt the presence of a certain goddess watching from afar, but having a decent idea of who it was, pretended he didn't sense anything.

After her small breakdown, Pyrrha was a lot more at ease around Agnotos's family, and was even _more_ intimate with Agnotos himself. She occasionally stuck for dinner, quote: 'It'll be a great shame to let your heavenly cooking go to waste'.

Agnotos swore that he'd heard similar speeches from Altera too. 'Those gluttons would be the end of me', he thought.

Agnotos had invited her to stay, though she always declined. She would shake her head sadly, eyeing the ingredients for tomorrow's breakfast as she left. When asked why, she revealed that she now lived in Mycenae under the disguise of a champion fighter, in an extremely prestigious training school.

Agnotos was alarmed at first, thinking that she was training to kill for sport. He insisted on her to quit, but calmed down when she explained that it was a more non-lethal fight club, similar to the Olympics.

They met up everyday afternoon despite her being busy, and today was no exception.

"Agnotos!", Pyrrha greeted him, waving her hand.

"Pyrrha.", Agnotos simply greeted back, but not without a small smile.

"What shall we do today?", Pyrrha eagerly asked.

Agnotos rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

"Pyrrha?", he asked in a cautious tone. "May I ask you a question about **_titans?_**"

Pyrrha straightened her back, tension fleeting across her face.

"Of course, anything for you."

Agnotos glanced at her. She stared back; her eyes filled with determination.

Agnotos nodded, thankful for her devotion.

"Who is the **'White Titan'?**"

Pyrrha's pupils dilated, her breath hitched in her throat.

**"What is_…the_ _Foreigner of the Stars_?"**

There was a long, long silence.

Pyrrha clenched and unclenched her fists, eyes darting back and forth.

Agnotos sighed. He knew it was somewhat a taboo, since nobody talked about the topic, even the old fae. The forbidden box of Pandora.

"You needn't tell me if-"

"It is an old tale, an ancient myth, even for the titans.", Pyrrha whispered, her voice barely audible.

"…Go on."

"Once upon a time, there was a great civilization that _came before_."

"…."

"The civilization was _nothing_ likes the ones of today. They were powerful, unstoppable, preposterously wealthy, and united to an absurd level. There was no death, there was no unknown."

"…. Sounds like Olympus on earth, only better."

Pyrrha chuckled.

"Indeed. However-"

There was a drastic change in her tone, a tone of ill omen. Her expression darkened as her skin grew yet paler.

"It was **_razed_** to the depths of hell **_in one night_**."

"…How is that even possible?"

"**That _thing _cameth from the depths of the abyssal sky, wreaking havoc to everything it touched."**

"…The white titan."

"…Yes. At least, that was what the legend spoke of. The great giant of the space above, the embodiment of **_planetary devastation_**, the ultimate predator of Gaia herself."

"…..A being of the unknown."

"True. Sefar, or some refer to as the **_White Titan of Tassili n' Ajjer._**"

"…A very alien name indeed."

"Of course it is. She is also known as **_Velber 2_**, one of the satellites-or **_'ships'_** as you may call them- of the predatory Umbral Star, **_Velber_**."

"I'm afraid that I don't follow."

"Basically, she is an alien mechanism that travels the universe, and when it detects sentient life on planets, it creates Anti-Cells. The cells, or **_'ships'_** she sends shall destroy and devour the life on planets. It **_destroys all intelligent civilizations in its path_**, and by doing so, it consumes all data within reach."

"…data?"

"Let's just say, the knowledge needed on how to**_ create_** life."

"That's…that's ridiculous! How can one **_consume_** such forbidden knowledge!?"

"She is no simple life form. As a matter of fact, she might be more of a _system_ than life itself."

"…This whole story is really hard to process."

"Believe me, I know."

"…."

They sat there in silence, each to their own thoughts.

Finally, Agnotos broke the stifling silence.

"Is this ancient legend only privy to the old titans?"

Pyrrha blinked like a deer in headlights, completely caught off by his question.

"…Yes, I'm pretty positive about that. A few old spirits might still remember though."

Agnotos cursed a few certain faes under his breath.

All of a sudden, he straightened up, an idea in his head.

"There must be someone, no, **_something_** that defeated him! What is it!?"

Pyrrha tapped her temple, thinking.

"I recall it to be a _holy sword,_ _forged by the stars themselves_. A holy sword of golden life."

"Anything about that sword?"

Pyrrha shook her head.

"_Nothing_. It was said to be long lost, scattered into the depths."

Agnotos sighed.

* * *

POV Agnotos, PRESENT DAY

* * *

"THAT'S IT!"

I couldn't help but be ashamed at _how slow_ I was to realize.

An**_ aura. _**

Altera can feel the aura of peculiar objects and locations, such as Sefar's ribcage (aka our cave) and my divine spear.

She also**_ knew_** about the white titan, so she might be a titan's daughter, or a half-blood herself!

Titans being more ancient than gods should know a thing or two about relics. Hell, I wouldn't be surprised in the slightest if this thing in my chest is a titan relic!

What if. Just what if, the aura she feels is something…_interesting_.

Pyrrha dropped from a nearby tree, a concerned look on her face.

"Is something wrong?", she asked in a worried tone.

"Wrong? No, no, my dearest friend. It might be the adventure I was looking for."

I couldn't help but raise my voice in excitement. I could feel my grin stretch from ear to ear.

"Tell me, what lies eastwards?"

* * *

**Aaaaaaaaand, rap!**

**Props to guys who know where I got the OC from.**

**You know, Hercules set out on his labors, but he still might need some company. Jason has yet to get his crew. (He's already friends with Herc in this timeline though)**

_**FEEL FREE TO REVIEW OR PM FOR QUESTIONS!**_

**x-calibuuuur, over and out.**


	4. The First Monster

**I made a _Poll _for our MC's romantic interest! You can access it from my _profile page_!**

**PLS REVIEW, FAV'N'FOLLOW! It means a lot!**

**PS. Why the hell did I put Medusa in?**

**Medusa is dead, yes, I know...hey, I think there were several occasions where greek heroes go chill with Hades, eh? (Looks at Hercules, Asclepius, Orpheus, etc.)**

**Remember, _the dead was a part of the physical realm in the time of the gods!_ (Babylonia Intensifies)**

**HERE WE GO!**

* * *

Chapter 4 The Terrors of Travel

* * *

POV Agnotos

* * *

Mycenae, it seems, lies in the west of this forest.

Yeah, Seriously, I should've guessed. Pyrrha did say that she lives in Mycenae.

In my defense, Pyrrha always arrived in a whirlwind of silvery feathers, the blessings of her amulet given to her by Nikos herself.

Sadly, it can only transport a chosen one (in this case, only Pyrrha) from one 'marked' point to another. The 'Mark' is a sign which could be engraved into non-magical substances by stamping her amulet against them to create an enchanted pattern. The pattern acts as a gateway, activated by her will.

Technically, she could've just left us behind and waited for us in Mycenae, but she insisted on traveling together.

So, here we are, walking into the midst of the forest. I myself had never ventured deep enough, in fear of getting lost. Why?

The 'forbidden forest' as other countries like to call, was an even more hideous part of the Valley of Trials. The more you venture, the thicker the mist gets, making it nigh impossible to sense one's direction.

The mist was not the only obstacle. Swamps were literally _everywhere_. The murky black water, so filthy that even my reflection looked nonexistent.

I've considered taking different routes to Mycenae, I really have.

However, the alternate path was the rocky mountain, the altitude so high that heaven knows how long it might take to reach the other side. I could've walked along the very outskirts of the _giant _forest, though Pyrrha warned me it might take _months_. …NOPE.

This goddamn _maze_ in the sorry excuse of a forest just had to be right between the city, of all other places it could be. They might as well name this _stupid_ place 'the forbidden fortress', HA!

"Are you _absolutely_ sure that this is the _accurate_ direction?", I asked Altera for the hundredth time.

I know I sound like a whiny bitch, but this place is driving me mad. No sunlight! Fog, mist, the smell of blood, reptiles, and most of all…**_GIANT HAIRY SPIDERS_**! …Can I just _burn_ them all?

"Yes, I am sure we are on the right track.", Altera answered with a stiff nod.

"I'm afraid we might need more firepower to burn down this soggy forest.", she added.

"Did I say that out loud?", I asked sheepishly.

My companions nodded as one. I groaned.

"Maybe you can use this fire powers of yours.", Pyrrha suggested.

I grimaced. Oh, if only that was the case.

A fiery arrow appeared in one hand as the other was entirely engulfed in white-hot flames.

"This is all I can do.", I sighed with a shrug. "Can't shoot streams of continuous fire and stuff."

"Oh. Yes, I forgot.", Pyrrha replied with an apologetic smile.

I waved her off, indicating it was no big matter.

Silence settled once more as we slugged our way through the marshlands, until a hissing sound reached our ears.

Ahri was the first to notice, growling in its direction with her fangs bared in an angry snarl.

We noticed soon after, since the hissing seemed to come from all directions, and it was getting _louder_. Yes, _louder_, not closer.

This means we're surrounded by a huge swarm of snakes, or the snake in question is very, very big.

Please don't be the latter. Please, NO.

The hissing got louder.

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven…eight snakes, hissing simultaneously. GIANT snakes.

"Guys…?", I asked.

"Yes?", they replied in a wary tone.

"Are you thinking what I am thinking?"

"I don't like where this is going…", Pyrrha muttered.

"An eight-headed swamp snake?", Altera asked back in an indifferent manner.

Ahri whined. She hates getting soaked.

"Yep. Backs together, we better get in a defense formation-DUCK!", Pyrrha shouted.

A black shadow streaked past where my head was a second ago.

Cold sweat covered my body as the entire ground shook. NO. It couldn't possibly be _this _large. That'll be _preposterous_.

The muddy land shook and cracked, and then it was abruptly torn apart with the sounds of angry hissings.

Eight scaly reptilian heads shattered the_ towering_ trees, hefting them up from their roots and tossing them away like twigs.

"**_Preposterous._**", I whispered with my jaw hanging wide. **_Fuck _**the jinxes.

Actually, it was a lot more than preposterous. IT WAS INSANE.

Eight gold eyes, each more than the width of a full-grown bull, stared right at us.

Every single head was larger than the winged pig (which was the length of _fourteen _men), it's neck much longer and thicker than a thousand-year-old tree.

Altera sniffed in disdain.

"You smell like fish.", she grumbled. "_Rotten_ fish."

"Nikos, mighty goddess of victory. Please give us your blessing. Pretty please.", Pyrrha prayed silently, her enchanted spear brandished and ready.

The snakeheads hissed as one. Spittle flew from their mouths in gigantic goblets of venomous acid, melting a few rocks and turning them into blackish mud.

"Hey, guys. I have an idea why this place has so many swamps.", I couldn't help but quip.

My face contorted in half-disgust, half-awe at the thought of acid that _melt rocks_.

"Watch out! This poison can kill you before you even blink!", Pyrrha warned, her shield held up high.

The eight-headed serpent roared, so deafening the bones in my bodies vibrated. An ominous purplish glow of mana pulsed within its eight throats.

I kind of knew what it was about to do, in a _very_ bad way.

"Ah, shit! DIVE!", I yelled.

And not a moment too soon.

Eight lines of accumulated mana shot past us by a hair's length, its path exploding in huge clouds of purple smoke.

"DON'T BREATHE IN THE SMOKE!", I shouted, making sure to dart through the curtains of toxic before taking in a deep breath, "DESTROY ITS HEADS!"

"Understood! Altera, cover me! Ahri, go give Agnotos some mobility!", Pyrrha followed, her eyes burning with ferocity.

Ahri dashed over, her head lowered. I jumped, settling right behind her furry neck.

"Let's go_ rip_ that eight heads off, shall we?", I whispered in Ahri's ear.

Ahri howled in agreement, her silver fur ablaze in divine light.

"LET'S GO!"

* * *

The Battle, Agnotos

* * *

The eight-headed serpent screamed in pain as Pyrrha pierced through one of its heads. Her spear sparkled with embers of golden light as she ducked and weaved, spun and struck.

She parried a headbutt of colossal force, utilizing the shockwave itself to spin through the air, yet spearing through another by doing so.

A head lunged at Pyrrha from beneath at incredible speeds, fangs opened wide.

However, it fell to the ground before it could realize what hit it; head bouncing, eyes wide. Altera nonchalantly swung her sword without even glancing back at her kill, a dissatisfied pout on her face.

Altera stabbed through another that was attempting a sneak attack from behind, her blood-red eyes filled with disinterest. Her transparent sword of three colors glowed eerily in the murky mist, whipping and slicing with deadly precision.

Agnotos, mounted atop his fearless fox, fired a flurry of condensed flames in the form of giant arrows, one after another. The streaks of crimson red tore through the mist and shattered its scales, burning through the monster's impenetrable hide with ease.

Ahri darted in and out of shadows, too nimble to catch, impossible to grasp. A ghost of twilight in the form of a fox, dancing upon the serpent's humungous necks and giving her rider a clear chance to strike with his divine spear.

The rider and his mount taunted the raging monster's futile attempts of retaliation at its foe, occasionally throwing a spear to gouge out an eye, disappear, and call back the embedded spear with a summon.

The eight-headed beast shrieked in absolute fury, thrashing around in its frenzy.

The ground began to shake yet once more; this time, a lot more violent than before.

A deep guttural growl reverberated within Agnotos's soul. His entire body quivered in primitive horror; a horror made of pure instinctual fear.

The earth itself began to quake as **_it_ **rose.

Rise it did, from the very depths of Tartarus it cometh.

A monster unlike any other.

The eight-headed serpent was** NOTHING** compared to _**this**_. This **sheer atrocity**. This **absolute monstrosity**.

The serpent was _**nothing**_ more but a fraction, **a mere**_** tail**_.

A gargantuan hoof slammed against the ground as a pillar of muddy earth erupted into the sky. The mane of a golden lion who breathe hell billowed in the roaring gales. The neigh of a black sheep blasted away the thick mist along with the heavy clouds, giving them a full view of the abomination before them.

A monster of destruction, malice, venom, and chaos.

The primordial child of the abyss.

**_The first Chimera_**.

The challenge has yet begun.

* * *

**Altera, Inside her infinite mental landscape**

* * *

She knew not why she was born. She just did.

Her initial purpose was nothing more than a **_backup_**, a safety net for the **_white titan_**. That much, she already knew.

However, she knew not of her true purpose in life.

What was she living for? To wreak havoc? To bring destruction?

No, she loathed that. She loathed the very reason she was alive.

'What I am here for?', she kept asking herself in her years of endless slumber.

Her awakening came with warmth, and it came with the exorbitant sparkle of life that ignited her soul.

A young life, caressing her cheek, urging her to wake up.

'I need to find him', she thought.

She found him, falling from the sky, all bloodied and bruised.

His prowess, no more than a speck of insignificant dust compared to hers.

Oh, but how he enticed her! How his soul mesmerized her!

It was a sudden bliss in her long yet short life, an unknown emotion, a tingle of hope.

She examined him, she looked after him, she talked with him. She trained him in her own cruel way, punishing him severely for potential flaws in defense, making sure that he would survive the most powerful of foes.

Was it because he found him 'cute' or 'adorable' as the mortals say? Did she grow 'attached' to him in some way? She knew not, but she was determined to find out.

On sleepless nights, she would gaze into his slumbering face for hours upon hours, wondering what it would be like if she was born 'human'.

She had studied him, analyzed him, thought of ways on how to keep him happy, keep him pleased.

One day, she thought of sending him a crown of flowers.

She knew not why she had even thought about it. It was nothing more than a fleeting thought in her mind, a curious intuition.

Why? Was it because she 'liked' cute things; small, fickle things blooming with life?

The idea stubbornly clung to her mind, day or night, refusing to let go.

At last, she acted, clumsily knotting flowers together, picking the delicate petals with utmost care.

More than once she considered forfeiting the challenge, her foolish idea.

More than once she declined the logical voice whispering in the back of her head, the cold, calculating mind of the titan.

At long last the deed was done, an inelegant yet lovely crown of flowers in her hand.

Oh, the smile when she gifted it to him! The blooming smile of love, the tight embrace of warmth, the great sparkle of life in his eyes!

She knew not why she had done that deed.

What she did knew, was the truth that she shall never regret her deed.

When he suggested leaving, she had originally thought to stay behind.

No matter how she craved being human, she could never, ever be one of his kind.

She should remain in her 'vessel' for eternity, lest she brought harm to the ones she cherished.

He, however, didn't comply.

"Why should I leave you behind?", he had asked innocently. "You are my **_family._**"

She had tried to tell him her secrets, her hidden future.

He, however, didn't falter.

"The remnant of the White Titan? Why should it matter?", he said with a snort. "You are **_Altera_**, a young woman I know. A young woman who **_cherishes life_**. That is more than enough!"

Altera knew not why her eyes blurred.

She knew not why hot liquid dripped from her eyes.

What she did know, was that she shall never, ever leave his side.

Before her, there was the beast of tremendous power. The first child of Echidna and Typhon.

The abomination pointed both heads towards **_him_**. It roared. It kicked.

He flew, blood trailing, limbs flailing.

'Agnotos', she thought in numb shock. '**_Agnotos!_**'

A spark ignited within her.

The spark turned into a fire.

The fire turned into a raging inferno.

She reached out with her mind.

She grasped something. Something warm, something familiar.

She knew not how she gained access to Agnotos's body, neither how their souls seemed to fall into one piece.

She felt Agnotos panic for a split second, desperate to fight off the alien invasion.

'Agnotos.', she called from beyond.

'Please. **_Trust me_**.'

Another split second, and she felt her mind take full control of his.

It was a very soothing sensation; she knew his everything, while he knew hers.

**They **positioned **themselves** mid-air.

**They** reached up, summoning the divine spear of Mars in its full glory.

**They** spoke, calling upon the innate power of all humanity.

The power of courage, rebellion, and war.

**They** spoke as one, as the voice of Alaya herself.

**_"Return from whence thou cam'st, foul creature of the Abyss._**

**_The world hath no need of thine kind."_**

The intertwined spears churned and spiraled, bumming with force of unseen kind- a convoluting spear of Aurora that shall repel all darkness.

_**"Connecting to Mars. Access granted to limited divine accentuation. Ascension process initiating on 3…2…1…system complete."**_

Astral glyphs covered the entire sky, drowning the darkening sun itself in its wake.

The glyphs overlapped and coincided, creating a geometric summoning circle of incredible complexity.

The circle burned white-hot, a low hum addressing the beast of its promised demise.

The Chimera roared. Not in fury, but in fear.

**They** pulled **their** right arm back, the pillar of light aimed at the poor monster fated to lose.

**_"Abandon all hope, Ye foe of War"_**

The beast whimpered, cowering before_** their**_ might.

**_"The heavens shall fall and the earth shall split"_**

A judgment of the divine, the punishment of stars has befallen thee.

**_"Skyfall Photon Ray"_**

There was light.

A legend born in War.

A battle that shall be later told in the legends, the first true slaying of Agnotos.

* * *

**FAR ABOVE**

* * *

Ares roared in laughter, his lips twisted in a maniac smile, his eyes_ blazing_ with euphoria.

**"Yes! YES! _YES!_", **he cheered. **"YES!"**

Nikos appeared beside him with a serious glint in her eyes, but he took no notice of her.

He _chose_ to take no notice.

"A legend, a star, **a blazing sun**, **_born in war_**!", he hollered as he continued to cheer on, "That's my _sun_! That's my _little god of war_!"

"Yes, and I'm afraid you have **_A LOT _**of explaining to do.", Nikos said, gesturing to the barrier she had enforced around Ares's own. "You **_owe_** me for helping keep your son a **_secret_**."

"Ah, yes indeed!", Ares replied with a hearty wave, "Always so serious!"

"There is a reason I'm**_ 'so serious'_**.", she replied in a voice laced with sarcasm.

Nikos winced when she heard **_the _**thunder rumble in distant skies.

She scowled at Ares, who also turned to look at the skies.

"Ah, old father. Paranoid as always.", Ares chuckled.

"Yes, but in this case, he is actually right!", Nikos hissed back.

Ares shrugged, wriggling his eyebrows.

"Well, at least I have you on my side, O'goddess of promised victory.", he replied with an arrogant smirk.

Nikos's eyes twitched.

"And I'm seriously starting to regret my decision."

Ares shrugged; his smug smile still evident.

"Too late, my friend. Too late."

Nikos huffed in indignation, disappearing in a whirlwind of silvery feathers and golden light.

Ares followed her drifting feathers with his eyes, shaking his head.

_"Women."_

The thunder boomed in the distance.

'Storm shall follow.', Ares thought, before he too dissipated into a pillar of light.

* * *

**OMG, that thunder!**

**Feel free to review or PM me for questions!**

**X-calibuuuur, over and out!**


	5. The Deal with the Crude King

**You'll get a few famous characters plus a legend in this one! **

**Be sure to hone your Greek Mythology skills cause it'll get in handy!**

**PLS FAV'FOLLOW'N' REVIEW, IT MEANS A LOT!**

**PS. Just in case: The last chapter's serpent was NOT a Hydra. IT'S THE TAIL OF THE FIRST CHIMERA.**

_**BE SURE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE POLL! (IT'S IN MY PROFILE PAGE)**_

**HERE WE GO!**

* * *

Chapter 5 The Cow City and the 'Forest' Bumpkin

* * *

Agnotos groaned in pain.

He hurt **_everywhere_**.

"I'm soooooooo NOT fighting. NOPE. I leave it to you guys.", he grumbled.

"FOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD.", Altera mumbled.

With the Chimera **_obliterated_** out of their way, the pack continued onwards at a steady pace. Ahri carried Agnotos upon her back while Pyrrha carried Altera on hers.

They did not talk much about how Agnotos had suddenly gained a phenomenal power-boost, since Ahri and Pyrrha had no choice but to assume it had something to do with his legacy, while Agnotos and Altera kept their mouth shut like a vice.

Genuinely grateful that they were still somehow alive and well, they decided to resume their journey after a night's rest.

Agnotos slumped against Ahri's furry back, seemingly still exhausted. But in truth, he was analyzing what had occurred yesterday. The strange, exceedingly intimate connection between Altera and himself. The feeling of all-powerful, of invincibility.

He had seen a vision, a blurry image of the star Mars, an image of a white-haired god with crimson eyes, brandishing a half-transparent sword of three colors. It felt foreign yet familiar, like an ancestor you had never met.

'What was that?', Agnotos thought, his fur-burrowed face scrunched in irritation.

He sneakily stole a glance at the peaceful face of Altera, who was now currently drooling all over Pyrrha's armor.

Agnotos stifled a giggle.

'Whatever.', he thought. 'There will come a time when the truth shall be unveiled.'

* * *

The sun shone brightly through the clear blue sky as a refreshing breeze glided through the foliage.

"A strict contradiction from yesterday.", Agnotos muttered in pleasant surprise.

"Yes!", Pyrrha answered with a cheerful nod. "That Chimera seemed to have been the root of our problems!"

She was right.

There was no mist at all, the shadows non-existent. The murky ponds that plagued everywhere seemed to have evaporated in one night, leaving behind fine soil. The giant spiders that had endlessly harassed them had become far more docile, some even innocently staring at them as they trudged by.

They had a **_very _**nice view of their destination too, thanks to Agnotos's last attack that gouged a **_very _**wide path through the **_entire_** forest.

"Are we there?", Agnotos asked, face still buried inside Ahri's fur.

"Almost.", Pyrrha curtly replied. "Another hill and we shall be there by noon."

"Thank you.", Agnotos groaned, too drained to say more.

"Let us get you into a nice, comfy bed, shall we?", Pyrrha grinned warmly.

"Me too.", Altera butted in.

Pyrrha rolled her eyes with an exasperated sigh.

"Yes, you too, Altera. You too."

They continued walking along the barren path in comfortable silence, each to their own thoughts.

Agnotos drifted away, claimed by Morpheus through Ahri's rhythmic heartbeat and the steady rocking of her warm back.

'At last.', Agnotos thought as he drifted into the void. 'My epic adventures shall begin.'

If only he knew how underrated his bad luck was!

* * *

Gates of Mycenae, City of Cows

POV Agnotos

* * *

"STATE YOUR BUSINESS!", the brutish shout of a man struck my ears.

Gees…just when I'm thoroughly battered. Perfect. All I need now is a good beating.

"My name is Pyrrha, champion in training at the school of Mycenae. I bring friends.", Pyrrha stated in a clear, steady voice.

"Ah, Pyrrha! Sorry for that mean facade, gotta keep that up. You see, the center of the forest blew up, and a path had been forged through **_the _**forbidden forest! That cursed place even the mighty Perseus was wary of! Oh that-", the man kept babbling on, lost in his own excitement.

I felt my companions sweatdrop. Well, at least Altera was unfazed as ever. I willed myself to stay dead.

Forest? _Me know nothing._ (old accent of the fae)

"-Very well, you shall all pass after the document is filled-", the voice stopped abruptly.

I sense a wave of fear, repulsiveness, anger, and despair directed towards…me?

"WHAT IS THAT CREATURE!", the man yelled in a frantic tone.

**"WHY IN THE NAME OF HOLY OLYMPUS IS _THAT_ FOUL FOX HERE!?"**

…Huh? Fox? Did he mean Ahri?

My mind was frozen in shock, so numb that I even forgot to raise my sleepy head in anger.

**"THAT _THING_, THE TEUMESSIAN FOX!"**

What is that man even talking about? The utter disgust and hatred were all but too apparent in his voice. No kind of misunderstanding could cause that.

"What does he mean, Ahri?", I asked in a low voice.

Ahri stiffened, her body as rigid as a rock.

"That beast **_ate children_**, ravaged **_seven cities_**, and **_destroyed crops_**! We thought the horrid thing must've died, but to see you bring that to our gates!", the guard continued in rage.

"Let us kill it and we shall let you pass!"

What did he say? A vein popped as I gritted my teeth, willing my entire body to stay down.

Killing him would NOT solve the problems. We must try the diplomatic approach.

An arrow whizzed by, missing my ear by inches.

"Get that stupid kid off that damn fox's back! I can't get a clean shot at that cursed beast!"

PATIENCE, Agnotos. Don't kill him. Your body is still like shit anyway.

Altera hopped from Pyrrha's back with a summersault and landed on top of the iron gates.

Pyrrha's eyebrows twitched.

"I thought you were injured!", she hissed.

"I never said I was.", Altera replied without batting an eye.

Pyrrha deadpanned.

"H-hey, get down from our gates!", the guard yelled at her.

"Stop shooting arrows at Ahri.", she said.

"Ahri who?", the guard asked.

Altera pointed at the still rigid Ahri.

"D-do you know what that fox has done!?", the guard said in disbelief.

"No, but I don't care.", she answered.

The air became tense, taut as a drawn bow. I sighed. Pyrrha pinched her nose in frustration.

I was about to step despite my weary body, when a soft but firm voice spoke up.

"May I ask what happened here, brave soldiers?"

A young boy stood by the gates; his back leaned against the iron wall. He was very beautiful in an androgynous way, potent with the grace of a ballerina and the sultriness of an exotic dancer. The only way I identified his gender was his male tunic.

His light blue eyes stared my way as the light breeze furled his dark-brown hair, a small smile etched onto his rosy lips.

I lifted my head.

"Who are you?", I asked sleepily, my eyelids still half-drooped.

"Ah yes, where are my manners!", the young boy scratched his hair with a light chuckle. His skin was so pale, even that small exertion gave his cheeks a healthy pink hue.

"My name is Hylas. May I have the honor of knowing yours?", he introduced in a tone of honey. A curious gleam was present in his eye, one very similar to those the fae would give him. A gleam of interest, both sinister and filled with mirth. A gleam, of one that knew his curiosity would kill him, but would delve in anyway.

"Agnotos.", I replied dismissively.

The gleam in Hylas's eyes only seemed to grow. I knew what fae are like, and how to catch their attention. Act disinterested as possible, so that they would want to entice you even more.

"Your mount…ah-ha! So she is the source of all this commotion!", he said with a satisfied nod.

"What is the _Teumessian fox_?", I asked in a tone that demanded answers.

Hylas only smiled, completely unfazed by my anger.

"Oh, you don't know?", he gasped with an innocent look of surprise, "That fox was originally a curse of Dionysus. She assaulted seven cities, one after another, preying children along the way. The fox was said to have-"

Ahri growled, her fur buzzing in silver energy. I've **_never _**seen her angry like this. Ever.

Hylas raised both hands in a gesture of peace.

I petted her snout. "Down girl.", I whispered.

Ahri kept growling while the guards shifted nervously, hands shaking. Obviously, they at last seemed to have realized that she could've _decimated_ them if she wanted.

To my amazement, Hylas was not affected, not in the slightest. He just stood there surrounded by a serene atmosphere, as if Ahri's snarls was peaceful music to his ears. Strange.

"Ahri!", I whispered once more. "Calm. Down."

She obeyed, licking my hand for some comfort. I patted her ears in affection.

"Now, that we got this sorted…I think we shall meet the king, if you please.", Hylas suggested with a cheerful smile.

He always smiles, I noted. Hmm…, maybe he is half-fae? Very rare they say, though not nonexistent.

"Do we need…_arrangements_ for our stay?", Pyrrha asked in a careful tone.

"Ah, nothing serious I'm sure of it. He just needs to make sure that the fox means no harm. However, there is a slight possibility that he will…demand _compensations_.", Hylas sighed with an apologetic smile.

"How do you even know that Ahri is the so-called 'Teumessian fox'?", I growled.

"There is no other fox neither wolf that fits her description.", Hylas answered.

I glanced at Ahri from the corner of my eye. She visibly shrunk under my gaze. Her ears drooped and her tail sagged. A mournful whine leaked from her throat.

The emotions I feel…was that shame? Remorse? Agony? Sorrow? Or all mixed up?

Either way, me and Ahri needed to talk. Though right now, business comes first.

"Very well.", I grunted. "Lead the way, Hylas."

Hylas's smile was radiant.

* * *

A FEW TEDIOUS HOURS LATER

* * *

We stood before an elaborate door with golden-armored guards standing on each side.

Hylas's smile was infectious as it was radiant. He somehow managed to put us at ease, going so far as to state that his own life was the price for their trust.

Somehow, I doubted that we can keep him hostage even if we wanted to. Hylas had that strange air that would persuade people to lay down their weapons to sit down and chat.

The guards announced our arrival, and the King gave his consent.

The intricately decorated door was opened with a resounding boom. I guessed that this is a show of traditional dominance as in 'I'll intimidate you before you step in my territory' kind of way. 'The cave bears used to do that', I recalled. Hell, am I already homesick!?

We entered the great hall, which was pretty vacant but well designed. Whoever built this place knew what he was doing.

A long path of red carpet led to a set of stone stairs, and at the top, there was a platform where a mid-aged man sat on an iron throne. He looks Impressive enough, that's for sure.

"I am Eurystheus, king of Mycenae and grandson of the mighty hero **Perseus**, great-grandson of lord **Zeus**.", the man declared in his regal accent. "What brings you here."

Pyrrha opened her mouth to speak, but I cut in. I was tired of this whole formality stuff, and I just wanted to crawl into bed.

"You already know. Tell us what you want from us, what you want us to do, and we shall get it done. In return-", I gestured towards Ahri who sat at the door (they didn't let her in), "-stop this whole Teumessian bullshit and leave us in peace."

The king stared at me in baffled silence, mouth slightly agape.

Time passed.

Gears seem to whirl in his mind as he studied me with mild interest, a hand to his chin. He stared into my eyes, and I stared back.

I don't care if he is a king or a great-grandson of Zeus. I don't care if he commands an army. Right now, I am thoroughly sick at the way every single person glared at Ahri as if she was some deadly disease that needed to be terminated. I shall make it end, one way or another.

Eurystheus seemed to have understood my intention, or he saw something_ different_ inside me. Either way, he didn't seem to be enraged by my brash behavior-on the surface, that is. He did hide his emotions well.

He was like a snake with the heart of a chicken, vindictive and spineless, the kind of person I would never trust my back to.

"I have a task for you.", he said with a sly smile. "However-"

He raised a finger, his sly smile split into a cruel grin.

"Firstly, I shall need you to prove your worth.", he drawled.

"Fine.", I answered. "How?"

His grin grew wider, a dark glint in his eye.

"You shall face the best of my men, the day after tomorrow at noon. Alcides, or **_Hercules_**, he now calls himself."

The king cackled loudly, as if it was some ridiculous inside-joke.

My eyes narrowed. I really didn't like this bastard.

"Very well, tomorrow it is.", I replied, eager to leave.

Eurystheus was still laughing when he motioned for us to leave, a twist of sick amusement still evident on his scarred face.

"You are dismissed! Oh, and do get some rest!", he called after my back, "We wouldn't want you to look worse than wear, don't we?"

* * *

ANOTHER HOUR LATER

* * *

The door slammed behind me as I at long last entered my awaited room.

We were now in an inn Hylas has recommended, quote; 'This place will guarantee you a night of relaxed sleep.'

"That sorry excuse of a king!", I couldn't help but rant. I fell face-first into the comfy pillows, too tired even to curse. Ah, soft pillow! You were by my side, all along!

"At least he didn't call the guards in. That meant something.", Hylas said with a chuckle.

I raised an eyebrow.

"The very act of testing you by pitting you against Hercules of all people is already something indeed!", he explained.

I raised my other eyebrow.

"What's the big deal about this 'Hercules'?", I asked, now that my interest has perked.

Hylas flashed me a cheeky wink.

"It is for you to find out.", he answered with a pat to my shoulder.

I deadpanned.

"For real?"

"It'll be terrible to spoil the surprise!", he added with a bemused chuckle.

I sniffed. 'Whatever, time to sleep.', I said to myself.

Ahri curled up beside me, granting me warmth.

"Good night, Ahri.", I barely managed to mumble before falling into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

"Sleep well.", Hylas whispered. "You shall need it when you wake up."

Agnotos slept, day and night.

The time was nigh, for a battle of legends at high.

* * *

**Yes, a short chapter. We shall have a longer one for the next! (maybe)**

**At least Zeus-chan does not know what's happening! (troll face)**

**BTW, the king is the guy who hid in a vase because he was too scared to meet Hercules in person. What a man!**

**Aaaaaand he's the guy who gave Hercules his twelve labors. Way to go for a spineless chicken!**

**PS. To guys who know Hylas was Hercules' lover in history:**

_**Remember, my good fellows...legends sometimes turn out completely different from small alterations...**_  
_**Hylas is still as young as Agnotos, as you can guess from Agnotos's own dialogue; around the age of 12... Ha!**_  
_**Also, one small tip; he is also half-fae, ow, Mer- ow, what the-**_

_**Feel free to review or PM!**_

**X-calibuuuur, over and out!**


	6. The Extra Labor of Hercules

**What do you think gods are? A mere crystallization of human emotions to an arcane level, or something much greater?**

**Remember, the first civilization (example: Atlantis ) was NO joke!**

**PLS PARTICIPATE IN THE POLLS! (Why Pyrrha isn't there? Maybe because she's already shipped? lol)**

**POLL IS IN MY _PROFILE PAGE._**

**BTW, _NO ONE CHOSE CAENIS!?_ I'M VERY DISSAPOINTED. GO GOOGLE HER!**

**FAV'REVIEW'N'FOLLOW!**

**HERE WE GO!**

* * *

**Chapter 6 A True son of Zeus**

* * *

Agnotos stirred, his consciousness floating. In and out, he drifted through the void, accessing knowledge he had no privy to.

Technology so advanced, it far exceeded magic. Towers of steel, chariots of blasting inferno, ships that flew across the sea of stars. People commanded everything with a single twitch of their fingers, and humanoid creatures of flesh and iron that were always ready to appease their masters.

It was simply majestic beyond belief, a paradise on earth. It was as if Olympus had suddenly decided to change the entire world to its liking. A place of happiness and fertility.

Agnotos had those dreams whenever when he was near Altera, and after the incident of the Chimera, the dreams became far, far more vivid.

He knew it was forbidden fruit, but he was drawn to it like bees to honey, succumbing oh so easily to the sweetly beckoning secrets.

'The dreams shall end soon', Agnotos thought consciously. It ended as it always did, a whole view of the entirely alien yet somehow nostalgic world.

This time, however…the dream didn't end as he had expected.

A mist-like fog descended from the heavens, blanketing everything in its grasp. A shadow, giant beyond belief, got bigger and bigger.

At last, the shadow touched the ground. The paved roads upturned, the rivers overflooded, the humungous towers of steel fell like wooden bricks, broken people scattered into the gales like rag dolls, and everything turned into Tartarus.

Oh, the horrendous fire, the earth crumbling explosions, the screams of billions upon billions of helpless citizens… The nightmare didn't end as two more shadows descended from the sky, both similar to the first.

Their skin was bone-white, their irises a vivid crimson, their retinas stygian-black. Their gazes were a bottomless abyss, sparing nothing in its wake. Every single one of them had characteristic features upon their heads that distinguished them from one another; one had rabbit ears, another had sheep horns, while the third had snail stem-eyes.

The tree white titans razed the lands bringing destruction, havoc, and death. They killed millions of lives in a blink of an eye, with no remorse, no hesitation.

Holographic figures flickered in the air as they materialized, metallic humanoid beings that didn't look quite human.

A sudden jolt went through Agnotos's spine as he realized something; those were **_gods_**, those were the titans of the old, the guardians of humanity.

Names flickered in his mind. Strange, bizarre names…

What was it? **_System G.A.I.A? Prototype sequence A.L.A.Y.A?_**

Pain shot through his mind as he somehow felt one of the white titans look at him, through time, space, and matter.

A screeching, humming, buzzing, grinding, yet strangely musical sound reached his _**soul**_.

**_"M.A.R.S"_**

**_Something clicked._**

* * *

POV Agnotos, the inn

* * *

I tumbled down from my bed, my feet catching the floor before I even realized.

'What was that dream?', I nervously asked myself between ragged breaths.

Altera peered into my eyes, a concerned frown on her delicate features. Pyrrha rubbed her eyes, slightly alarmed. Ahri followed me when I tumbled over, softly landing behind me. She sniffed my body for some abnormalities, then finding none, gingerly licked my hand.

"Rise and shine, guys! I just had a very…_unique _dream of _flying horses_.", I said with a laugh. Sure, there is _the _Pegasus, but there aren't any flying _horses_, if you know what I mean. Surely there aren't any, right?

"Let's get you a big breakfast. You've been asleep for more than an entire day.", Pyrrha said with her brows furrowed, not at all convinced by my ruse.

"Are you sure you can make it?", she added worriedly, "I can participate in-"

I raised a hand. Yes, I am very thankful for her concern, but this is a battle _I _need to take, for it is _MY_ responsibility they landed in this mess.

_Malaka (Fuck)_, that damn king! A million curses!

"Thank you, Pyre. I'm fine."

Pyrrha's cheeks flushed bright red. I don't know why, but she always reacts like this whenever I use her nickname in an affectionate way.

Why Pyre, instead of Pyr? I think I commented her on her hair being like a roaring fire, though I forgot about the details. Whatever, I'm _starving_.

We went down the stairs and into the bar below. The musty air of ale, wine, and beer assaulted my nose. Boy, the Dryads only fed me fresh wine, not those stale ones!

'…No use complaining', I shrugged mentally. 'I'll just grab something good for digestion.'

We sat on one of the wooden tables, flipping through the menu made out of a substance called papyrus. They boasted about this stuff being imported from a far-away land called Egypt, but I wasn't impressed in the slightest.

I used up all my awe in those flabbergasting dreams of mine, that was for sure.

We ordered our meal and sat waiting, inspecting our surroundings when we were at it.

It seems that this inn was indeed popular, as we could see all sorts of people with different cultures who spoke in different languages.

"Who told you that the likes of your kind can stand while we eat, eh? Grovel at our feet, you **_inferior demi-human_**!", a vulgar voice jeered.

"Yeah, beg for food, dirty pest!", a few other voices continued.

I looked over, just to see a party of three men sitting at a round table, with a terribly weakened girl with a black fold on her head. She stood beside the burliest man amongst them on wobbly legs, as if she might faint any second.

The black-haired girl would've looked beautiful if she wasn't in such a pitiful state. While being dressed in stained rags, her fair skin sullied with soot, and her golden cat-like eyes filled with resignation and despair, it didn't take a genius to find out how horrendously abused she was.

The people nearby glared at them, but they didn't seem to take notice.

**_"What is that?"_**, I hissed. I could feel my temper rising as I clutched my own fist, so hard that blood dripped from my closed fingers. I couldn't care less.

Pyrrha put a reassuring hand on my shoulder, her lips twisted in a disgusted grimace; one a lady might give if she saw something _disgusting _stuck to a toilet door.

"Slave sellers.", she explained. "Some of them treat their slaves like _rubbish_."

"Why does nobody stop them?", I hissed back.

"It is legal for slave owners to do what they want with their own.", she replied with a sad look.

"To **_hell_** with that", I muttered.

Pyrrha tightened her grip on my shoulder with an alarmed look.

"We can't afford to risk breaking the laws!", she warned. "We have a match this noon, remember?"

I shrugged off her hand.

"Who said that they'll even _know_ what struck them?", I growled. I took out long needles made of hardened dryad wood and fiddled it between my unclenched fingers, soaked in blood.

The burly man waved his fist, as if to strike the poor girl next to him. I acted.

I flicked a finger, sending the thin needle straight through the air and right into his wrist.

Blood spurted from his punctured wound as he screamed in agony, cradling his injured wrist with his other hand.

I flicked another finger. This time, I sent the long needle right through his other hand and into the same wound.

He howled in pain, rolling out of his cheer and unto the floor. His wounds sizzled as if they were fried on hot metal, stopping the blood almost immediately.

My blood? …Whatever.

The other guests ran for the door as others sought fortitude in their rooms upstairs.

_Just as I planned._

The girl sat on the floor in silence, golden eyes wide open, shivering as I neared her and her owner.

The man was still wailing when I stood before him, cradling the_ impaled_ hands of his.

"Hey. Listen to what I say.", I whispered in a low voice.

"Do as I say, and I might not kill you."

The man tried to turn over, but failed as I ground my heel into the back of his head, forcing him to kiss the marble floor.

"Did I give you _my_ permission to raise your head, **_mongrel_**?", I taunted. I might be getting ahead of myself, but I didn't care.

"I'll do what you want, everything!", he whimpered. "Please have mercy!"

No backbone at all, huh? …**_Disgusting_**.

"Go back to your sorry hut and free**_ all_** your slaves. Buy them citizenship."

The man opened his mouth to protest. I snapped my fingers, setting the needles on fire. He screamed.

"Okay! Alright! I'll do it in the name of** river Styx** and **Olympus**!", he cried, tears pouring from his eyes.

"Very well.", I said, lifting my feet.

The man scampered to the door like an injured rat, without looking back even once.

"You know what shall happen if you break your oath.", I called after his hunched back.

"Beware, my friend. Beware."

* * *

A FEW HOURS LATER, Agnotos

* * *

Agnotos left the inn, feeling not hungry anymore.

Pyrrha insisted on making him have a decent meal at the very least, which he complied after her constant pestering.

He did feel better after a few good loaves of honeyed olive-fried bread and a large slab of smoked beef, however. It left him in a surprisingly cheerful mood indeed.

Sadly, his good mood dissipated as soon as he set foot into the royal yards.

Herds upon herds of people were watching, waiting.

A gigantic semi-underground arena was set in the middle of the spacious yard, granting the people a good view from above.

'He plans to disgrace me', he realized.

_'He plans to make a fool out of me before the eyes of all the people in Mycenae.'_

Pyrrha glanced at him nervously.

"Are you sure-", she began.

Agnotos cut her off by placing a finger on her lips.

"I AM READY!", he shouted to the people.

Some cheered back, while others gave the boy incredulous looks. He couldn't blame them. A big thirteen-year-old no-name pit against the famous **_'Hercules'_**. Hell, even he wouldn't bet on that.

"Welcome!", a voice boomed over the bumming crowd.

"Welcome to my grand arena."

'_Eurystheus_, that old snake.', Agnotos bitterly thought.

"We have here today, two warriors of different ages!", the king continued.

"Here we have Agnotos, a boy of the forbidden forest, **_tamer _**of the monstrous **_Teumessian fox_**! Agnotos, if you would please."

A vein pricked in Agnotos's temple as he grit his teeth. He jumped down into the Arena, landing with a small poof in the soft sand.

"On the other side, we have our mightiest of heroes, the strength that conquers the very heavens itself!"

A large shadow appeared at the rim of the arena. A shadow Agnotos hadn't noticed before.

"I present you, the great son of **Zeus**, **_Hercules!_**"

The crowd went wild. They stomped, cheered and screamed at the top of their lungs.

**_"HER-CU-LES! HER-CU-LES! HER-CU-LES!"_**, they chanted in feverous joy.

The shadow jumped and descended.

A mighty plume of sand showered through the air, pattering against Agnotos's skin.

The sand cleared.

Before Agnotos, there stood a man like no other.

Power rolled off him in waves. Muscles bulged from his body like volcanic rocks. His very breath changed into a steaming mist. Eyes glowed like molten gold-the show of purest divinity.

However, it was the look in his eyes that caught Agnotos's eyes.

A look of weariness, of boredom, of deep grief.

**"Boy."**, the legend spoke. His voice rough yet soothing, like the rumbles of distant thunder.

**"I suggest you forfeit. You will never _'win' _this futile, pointless battle."**

There was no malice, no arrogance at all in his voice. There was only a look of genuine concern, one a father saber tooth lion points to his inexperienced cub.

**_'Fatherhood'_**_, _Agnotos thought. 'Did he lose his child? His son, perhaps?'

"No.", Agnotos answered briskly. "I cannot allow that."

**"Why?"**, Hercules asked.

Agnotos tapped his chest, right on where his medallion resides.

"It is my Creed, to never back down.", he answered with pride.

**"And for _what_, do you risk?"**, Hercules countered.

Agnotos beamed for the very first time since he came to Mycenae.

"For my family."

Agnotos looked up.

He saw Pyrrha, clenching and unclenching her fists. He saw Altera, waving at him with an impressively blank face. He saw Ahri, her tail wagering non-stop.

**"…..!"**

Hercules was silent for a very long time, a grave expression etched into his manly features.

He stared at the boy in front of him in silent contemplation; pondering, thinking.

At last, he spoke.

**"Show me this Creed of yours with your own fists."**, he challenged.

Agnotos accepted the challenge.

"That I will."

* * *

**_The Battle of Two_**

* * *

In later legends, there will be a legendary battle called **'The Battle of Two'**.

It will be known as the first time A■■□■□■■ and Hercules met, and also the first time they fought.

It was said that _'the ground split from their exchanged blows too fast for mortal eyes to follow, and the very sky fell with their incredible clash of force.'_

Historians believe it to be a mere exaggeration, a trick of words, while a limited group of people still strongly believe it to be true, that the**_ 'Great waterfall of Ares'_** was indeed the result of their legendary battle.

Book 3 Greek Myths ~The Epic of A■■□■□■■~

* * *

In the Arena, POV Agnotos

* * *

When I started trading blows with Hercules, I knew from the instant I contacted his flesh, that victory was **_impossible _**through normal means.

He was a living god, a crystallization of **_brute force_**.

I knew he was pulling back, showing the people above that I'm a boy who could last against the mighty Hercules.

There was nothing to be ashamed of even if I had lost, that was for sure.

**SO WHAT!? I PRETEND TO HAVE FOUGHT WITH ALL MY MIGHT AND LAY DOWN MY WEAPONS WITH A SMILE!?_ TO HELL WITH THAT!_**

My blood burned. The beating of my heart increased. A tingling sensation traversed my veins, granting me a burst of power.

My mind blanked as white-hot flames engulfed my whole body to create a full-body armor.

Hercules's eyes widened.

I saw my chance, ducking under his deliberately slow fist and wheel-kicked his abdomen. The impact caused the sand underneath our feet to explode, as crevices of all shapes and sizes formed; only to crumble and melt from the incandescent waves of inferno that erupted from where our bodies met.

An enormous hand appeared and yanked my ankle, twisting it sideways so I flew past him.

I cartwheeled several times before my feet made contact with the enchanted wall of the arena, and I pushed off with every single ounce of strength my body has got to offer.

Bones cracked as my tendon was ripped to shreds from over-exertion, but I clamped down the excruciating pain with sheer determination.

Determination to make Hercules realize that I could actually pose as a threat!

I roared.

I called upon my spear, my greatest weapon.

The spear of M-

My vision warped. The**_ …things_** I've glimpsed within my dreams? What in the-

_Black-white-dot-box-sand-enter-number-code-preference-report-report-error-error-error-error-errorerrorerrorerroreeeeeeeeeee-_

**PROCESSING DATA…SEVERING CONNECTION TO _M.O.O.N CELL_**

**BOOTING LIMITED ACCESS PROCEDURE…**

**ANALYZING OCCUPANT CAPACITY…**

**SYSTEM PROCESSING…INSUFFICIENT…DOWNLOAD…ERROR**

**98% MEMORY LOST…RECONSTRUCTING…**

**TARGET: CORRUPT SEQUENCE…**

**FILE 0000001…_CPU CODE: J.U.P.I.T.E.R DETECTED_**

**INITIATING ANTI-VIRUS PATCH…REBOOTING SYSTEM…ON 3,2,1…0**

**_SYSTEM CODE: M.A.R.S_** **LIMITED ACCESS GRANTED **

**RESTORED 7%... STABILIZATION COMPLETE**

**AWAITING COMMAND: ACTIVATE? YES/NO**

….!

What in the sweet name of Kronos-argh, I, can't, think…

Hercules must have noticed something was off, so he caught me by the shoulder and tossed me into a mountain of sand.

Sand filled my lungs as my head throbbed. My nerves were all haywire, vision plagued with strange numbers I knew nothing of.

The pain was great. So great. It might've well been my entire body being recreated by Hephaestus from scratch, hammered, scorched, molded, screwed, flattened…the list goes on.

The fiery armor that surrounded me suddenly pulsed, much brighter than ever before, so exorbitant that only white could be seen.

Again…my head…damn it!

**BACKUP CPU RESTARTING…**

**PRIORITY SCAN…SECURE OCCUPANT SURVIVAL…**

**BIOMATTER DETECTED…POSITIVE REACTION 48%...**

**PLANNING…ORDERS REESTABLISHED**

**AUTO MODE…LOCK RELEASE**

**ACTIVATING_ HARDCOPY: H.E.L.I.O.S_…LIMITED ACCESS GRANTED**

**SYSTEM M.A.R.S ORDER ACCEPTED… _ 'YES'_**

**TARGET OPTION: TERMINATION**

* * *

The crowd hushed when a blinding light was released from the boy's body.

All the cheering, excitement, jubilation, bloodlust has died down.

They could feel it in the air, taste it, the coming of something _incomprehensible_ to their mortal minds.

Agnotos stood up, straight and unmoving, his head facing the ground.

Suddenly, his head shot back up like a puppet on strings.

He opened his eyes; a pair of molten gold irises surrounded by pitch-black retinas.

He cranked his neck, left, right, left, right.

He opened his palm, closed it, and reopened it.

He looked back up, staring at a very serious Hercules.

**"A relic of the old Titans…? This is bad…"**, Hercules muttered under his breath.

He looked up at the stands, filled to the brim by vulnerable people.

He looked up at the boy's family, who was watching the boy's transformation with worried faces.

The mighty hero heaved a resigned sigh.

He brought his fingers to his lips, and whistled.

Thunder boomed and the gales blew. Dark clouds appeared in the clear blue sky as the neighing of a horse was heard, loud and clear.

The dark clouds swirled as a thunderbolt struck down, taking the shape of a mare, black as a moonless night.

**_"Heed my call and answer my rage, for the Tempest shall comest."_**, Hercules whispered.

The horse nudged its snout onto Hercules's forehead as he mounted, its body still bustling with tendrils of divine lightning.

The ink-black mare pawed the ground impatiently, pointing its angry golden eyes at the silent Agnotos. Hercules tipped his chin towards Agnotos, then at the helpless people above.

The horse snorted as it swung its neck before abruptly charging.

Agnotos just stood there as the duo dematerialized into a gust of greyish mist, passing right through him in a blanket of darkness.

When the mist at last subsided, nothing was left but a wisp of shadowy smoke.

* * *

On the hills of Ares

* * *

The three of them reappeared in a plume of smokey mist, and tumbled onto the rocky terrain below.

Tempest neighed, carrying its rider with swift grace, while Agnotos pummeled into the rocks, obliterating them with his force from above.

Agnotos stood once more. This time, he moved.

A blur appeared beneath Tempest as it nearly got gutted by a slice from an intertwined spear.

Hercules leaped from his mount and met Agnotos head-on, fist brandished.

Agnotos side-stepped the punch as it struck the ground, a punch that lifted up the entire terrain with an unstoppable shockwave.

Hercules connected his smash with a flurry of close-ranged punches, each deadly enough to injure a god. Agnotos parried, intercepted, and swept by each punch with relative ease, landing a clean hit of his own.

The impact this time, was _phenomenal_.

A dorm of scorching inferno expanded, decimating everything in its wake.

The clouds evaporated from the immense heat as the earth shuddered and moaned. Rocks molted into glass by seconds, as the river nearby _dried_.

A guttural scream tore through the raging flames as the intertwined spear began to rotate, gathering even more prana from its surroundings. Red, blue and yellow formed a spiral of destruction, aimed straight at the **_slightly_** burnt Hercules.

Agnotos raised his arm, body ablaze, face stretched into an animalistic snarl.

**"For _what_ do you fight?"**, Hercules asked in a low tone.

Agnotos howled in return, voice filled with insanity.

Hercules shook his head in disappointment.

**"Power means_ nothing_ if you are incapable of harnessing it to the very core."**

The mighty hero stepped forward. The ground erupted behind him from a single step; a power capable of shaking the heavens. His body was now coated in an armor of divine thunder alike Agnotos, except the power levels were _worlds apart_.

**"Foolish boy, heed my words."**

Hercules withdrew his fist, straining his invincible muscles to the absolute limit.

**_"With great power, comes great responsibility."_**

Hercules disappeared. Vanished, in a blink of an eye.

Agnotos's eyes opened wide, a giant fist half-embedded in his chest.

The spear lost its luster as it fell from his hands, disappearing into particles of white light.

Agnotos was blasted back into the heart of the hill, blood spewing from his lips as his body kept grinding and carving boulders and rocks until it gouged through the other side.

His body kept digging the earth for another few fields until he finally skidded to a halt, leaving a deep moat-like trail behind.

Hercules landed a few yards away, his breath slightly ragged.

**"That boy, _Agnotos_."**, he grumbled.

**"He has so much potential yet so little control over it. He was lucky that his power did not backfire on his family."**

Agnotos rose with a final screech, arms opened wide, fingers stretched.

His skin was half gone. In its place, blackish-crimson flesh pulsed ominously instead; flesh eerily similar to a creature of the abyss.

Agnotos brought down his arms in an overhead sweep. From every finger, a torrent of stygian flames was unleashed, concentrating into ten slashes of hellish fire.

**_Simultaneously_**, the flaming swords of death assaulted Hercules from **_all angles_**, threatening to end his life **_ten times_** over.

In another history, Hercules would've cultivated a martial style in the midst of his battle with the immortal Hydra. A martial style that would kill nine times with a single strike.

However, in this timeline, it was this exact moment that Hercules gained his most prized art for life. The accumulation of his martial prowess, his ultimate ascension of skill in which no existence has yet accomplished.

**_"TEN LIVES BLADE WORKS"_**

**_A blade that transcends the plane of destined fate, a strike that slays ten in one swing._**

In one single strike, it was all over.

The unconscious body of Agnotos crumpled to the barren ground in a mangled heap of limbs.

Hercules lowered his divine blade Marmyadose, the sword forged by Vulcan, the mighty god of Volcanoes.

The blade was said to be forged in the heart of Tartarus himself, thus making it nigh indestructible.

A small smirk lit Hercules's face as he glanced down, inspecting the**_ ten strips of black singes _**that were now etched into the 'indestructible' blade as eternal scars.

**"Impressive. To think that someone could leave their mark on this sword with just their body."**, he mused.

He looked back at the unconscious Agnotos with a fatherly smile, an idea in his head.

All this boy needs is a proper mentor, a guide to help him harness his own powers, a person who could show him how to utilize them to their best.

His old master, the wise centaur, the teacher of heroes would do.

**"But first-"**, he grumbled, deflecting an earthshattering slash to his neck without even looking back, **"I need to _convince_ his family that I meant no harm."**

Hercules heaved another heavy sigh.

Being a hero was **_laborious_** work indeed.

* * *

**Props to guys who guessed the slave girl. What a champ!**

**Good'Ol Hercules, always on the wrong end of the stick!**

**PLS feel free to review or PM!**

**X-calibuuuur, over and out (exhausted so I'll take a break) **


	7. REWRITTEN!

This story shall be rewritten as Born in War: Reforged.

Go follow it if you are interested.

PS This old story will not be continued


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